to secure them from deterioration, and charge a
commission for their stewardship.

It is a legitimate assumption in this part of the country that the money
employed in managing property bears to the property itself an average
proportion of about seven per cent. Hence it follows that the
above-stated aggregate banking and insurance capital of $120,359,224
must represent and be backed by values to more than fourteen times that
amount. In other words, and in round numbers, we may assert that the
bank and insurance interests of New York are in relations of commerce
and control with at least $1,685,029,136. This measure of metropolitan
influence, it must be remembered, is based on the statistics attainable
mainly outside of cash sales, and through only two of the metropolitan
agencies of commerce.

I do not know how much I may assist any reader's further comprehension
of the energies of the metropolis by stating that it issues fifteen
daily newspapers, one hundred and thirty-three weekly or semi-weekly
journals, and seventy-four monthly, semi-monthly, or weekly
magazines,--that it has ten good and three admirable public
libraries,--a dozen large hospitals, exclusive of the military,--thirty
benevolent societies, (and we are in that respect far behind London,
where every man below an attorney belongs to some "union" or other, that
he may have his neighbors' guaranty against the ever-impending British
poor-house,)--twenty-one savings-banks,--one theatre where French is
spoken, a German theatre, an Italian opera-house, and eleven theatres
where they speak English. In a general magazine-article, it is
impossible to review the hundreds of studios where our own Art is
painting itself into the century with a vigor which has no rival abroad.
We can treat neither the aesthetic nor the social life of New York with as
delicate a pencil as we would. Our paper has had to deal with broad
facts; and upon these we are willing to rest the cause of New York in
any contest for metropolitan honors. We believe that New York is
destined to be the permanent emporium not only of this country, but of
the entire world,--and likewise the political capital of the nation. Had
the White House (or, pray Heaven! some comelier structure) stood on
Washington Heights, and the Capitol been erected at Fanwood, there would
never have been a Proslavery Rebellion. This is a subject which
business-men are coming to ponder pretty seriously.

After all, New York'